1. Technical Field
This invention relates to basketball rims and, more particularly, to a removable basketball rim assembly.
2. Prior Art
Basketball hoops or rims have long been used for indoor and outdoor sporting enjoyment. They are used in a variety of settings, from public parks to private residential driveways. Typically, a basketball rim is mounted to a backboard, which is in turn mounted on a pole, hung from a ceiling, or mounted to a structure such as a garage.
However, basketball rims suffer from the disadvantage that they cannot easily be removed from their mountings when it is desired to prohibit their use. For example, the owner of a basketball rim mounted on a residential garage may wish to prohibit use of the rim at night, when the noise of the basketball hitting the backboard or ground disrupts the sleep of the owner. To prohibit use of the rim, the owner must physically remove the rim from the garage. Obviously, physical removal of the rim each night and replacement each day is time-consuming and inefficient.
In the case of a basketball rim that is mounted on a backboard hung from a ceiling, it is possible to prohibit use of the rim by providing the assembly with a mechanism to raise the rim and attached backboard to the ceiling, thereby prohibiting use of the rim. However, such mechanisms are expensive and potentially dangerous.
Accordingly, a need remains for removable basketball rim assembly that enables a user to quickly and easily remove the rim from the backboard. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a rim or hoop assembly that requires no tools for installation or removal, thus saving owners time and money. Such a rim assembly further reduces the risk of falling from a ladder during installation and removal because a user would not be handling tools while performing the installation/removal.